Opera Mini 8 for Java and BlackBerry Now Available

The application got a facelift, packs new features inside

Opera Mini, one of the most popular mobile browsers out there, has seen an upgrade on devices running under Java, as well as on BlackBerry smartphones, and is now available for download for the owners of these handsets as Opera Mini 8.

It has been a very long time since the mobile application has seen an update, and even longer since the company has posted about it, but new features are there for users to take advantage of, and they are certainly worth mentioning.

According to a recent post on Opera’s blog, the new version of Opera Mini arrives on mobile phones with a brand new look and feel. Thus, it will provide users with easier access to a handful of features, including Private Browsing and Night Mode.

For those out of the loop, we should note that the Night Mode in Opera Mini is meant to provide users with the possibility to continue navigating in the dark without hurting their eyes.

“Staying up late? Turn on night mode to dim your phone’s display. We’ve listened to your requests — now, you have a better way to browse at night. This is especially helpful for those with devices that don’t support automatic dimming,” the company notes.

Another appealing enhancement included in the new app version is easier access to tabs on mobile phones that have keypads (that would be your average feature phone).

“Tab access has also improved for phones with keypads. Try it out: push the arrow up button to get a new tab,” Opera explains.

There is also a nice range of shortcuts available to provide easier navigation in Opera Mini on such devices. Have a look at the image below to learn more on them.

Opera Mini 8

The same as before, Opera Mini continues to provide users with important data savings, courtesy of server-sided compression technology that made the browser highly popular among people with low data plans.

Opera calls its Opera Mini browser the “King of Compression,” due to the fact that it can actually compress up to 90 percent of data.

In the new update, the data usage overview has been revamped, providing users with more info on the manner in which their data is being saved. The last screenshot below will provide you with a glimpse at how it looks now.

Java and BlackBerry devices might not be the most popular out there right now, but there still are plenty of people using them, and the new version of Opera Mini will certainly appeal a lot to many of them.